Clasp for wearing-apparel.



PATBNTED JULY 21, 1903.

W. MAYBAUM. CLASP FOR WEARING APPAREL.

APPLIUATIQN FILED NOV. 4, 1902.

30 MODEL.

INIVIENTOR WITNESSES w /W 4; ATTORNEY- "m2 Noam: Farms co. woroumc wAsmNomu/n. c.

Patented July 21, 1903.

PATENT 'OFFICE.

WILLIAM MAYBAUM, OF' WH ITEST ONE, NEW YORK;

CLASP FOR WEARING-APPAREL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 734,425 dated July 21, 1903. Application filed November 4, 1902. $erial No. 130,026. (No model.)

T0 at whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM MAY-BAUM, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Whitestone, Long Island, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps for Wearing-Apparel, of'which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to a novel clasp for wearing-apparel, to be particularly used in place of buttons on gloves, underwear, drawers, knee -breeches for boys, knickerbockers for bicyclists, gentlemens trousers, in place of the two or three top buttons or the usual clasp and one or two buttons for closing the placket of ladies skirts and other wearingapparel where a plurality of buttons is employed.

My novel clasp combines the qualities ofperfectly closing the apparel and at the same time embellishing the article to which it is applied. The device is flexible, and therefore agreeable to wear, and does not produce any uncomfortable feeling as a rigid device would do. This is particularly desirable for ladies long gloves, because the wrist and the forearm are practically always in motion, and a rigid device would be uncomfortable.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 illustrates the clasp as applied to a glove. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of line 2 2 of Fig. 1, showing the device clasped; and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a modification showing a plurality of buttons mounted 011 flexible supports.

In the drawings, a represents the buttons in Figs. 1 and 3. The buttons are connected by a flexible strip 1), providedwith hooks c c, which are preferably integral therewith and bent somewhat at their inner edge for the purpose of insuring a perfect closing of the device, as is seen in Fig. 2. The hooks c c are rectangular in shape, which tends to lock the device securely. The portion of the clasp just described is located on the upper part of the open ends of a garment or glove and forms half of same. The other half of the clasp is attached tothe lower open end of a garment cle.

ably circular in shape. The second half of the clasp is stamped out so that the end portions 11 b are located somewhat below the flexible strip 1) for the purpose of having same somewhat elevated above the end portions, when this part of the device isattached to the wearing-apparel or gloves, in order to leave room for the hooks to locate underneath and permit of closing and releasing the clasp easily. If desirable, a third portion 1) may be provided in the middle of the second half of the device. The hooks 19 when secured beneath the flexible strip I), extend beyond the latter, guarding thus against any unintentional opening of the clasp.

The clasp is very easily applied to garments or gloves by simply securing the two halves therein by means of special tongs, which are solely adapted for this purpose.

7 A modification of the clasp is represented in Fig. 3, which is particularly adapted for the long gloves of ladies, which extend up to the elbow or shoulder, and for closing the placket of ladies skirts. These long gloves are usually manufactured at present so that they form an almost completely closed arti- They contain-an opening at and above the wrist, which is provided at present with the usual buttons. For these gloves the modified form shown in Fig. is particularly adapted, because the clasp is practically closed. by slightly pressing the top portion down on the lower portion. In Fig. 3 ais the tophalf of the button and a the lower half. The top parts of the buttons are connected by a flexible strip (1, and the lower halves of the buttons are connected by a flexible strip 6. It is plainly seen from the drawings that this clasp is easily locked and released. This modified form may also by used on drawers, knickerbockers, trousers, and other wearingapparel wherever a plurality of buttons is employed. The flexible strip isusually made of metal, particularly spring-steel; but it may be made of wood, ivory, celluloid, or other suitable material.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- I 1. A clasp for gloves and wearing-apparel comprising an upper flexible strip, a plurality of top halves of buttons secured to its top surface, hooks formed integral with the flexible strip; a second lower flexible strip adapted to receive the hooks and extending into broadened portions of like number as the top halves of the buttons, said broadened portions forming the lower halves of the buttons and adapted to engage the top halves of same.

2. A clasp for gloves and wearing-apparel comprising an upper flexible strip, a plurality of top halves of buttons secured therein, and rectangular hooks formed integral therewith;

a second lower flexible strip adapted to receive the hooks and broadened portions formed therein in a lower plane, said broadened portions forming the lower halves of the buttons and adapted to engage the upper halves of same.

Signed at New York, N. Y., this 3d day of November, 1902.

'W ILLIAM MAYLAUM. \Vitnesses HATTIE LUEDERS, WM. 0. MOREY. 

